Spending a day at the beach is one of the most enjoyable ways to relax during the summer. Having the right gear, like a beach tent, can make your beach days even better. Beach tents provide shade, privacy, and protection from the wind and sand. They are an essential accessory for comfortable beach trips.
When choosing a beach tent, you’ll want one that is easy to set up, made of durable and protective materials, and offers enough space. The best beach tents will have UV protection, windows for ventilation, and sturdy construction that can withstand wind gusts. We’ve researched the top beach tent options to help you find the perfect model for your next seaside adventure.
Benefits of Using a Beach Tent
Beach tents offer several advantages that can improve your beach-going experience:
Protection from the Sun
Too much sun exposure can lead to painful sunburns and increase your skin cancer risk. Beach tents provide UV ray protection by creating shade. Look for tents made with UV-blocking materials if sun protection is your top priority.
Privacy
Beach tents give you a private, cozy space to change clothes or take a nap. Instead of trying to find dressing rooms or open spaces on the beach, you’ll have your secluded area.
Shelter from Wind
Strong winds can send sand blowing everywhere, which is unpleasant and messy. A beach tent creates a barrier to block powerful gusts and keep sand out.
Comfort Zone
Between the hot sun, lack of shade, and annoyance of sand getting everywhere, beaches can sometimes be uncomfortably harsh environments. A tent lets you create a comfortable zone with shade where you can truly relax.
Storage Space
The best beach tents will have pockets, hooks, and storage compartments to keep your belongings organized. This keeps your valuables secure and prevents losing items in the sand.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Beach Tent
Keep the following factors in mind when deciding on the ideal beach tent for your needs:
Size
Consider how many people need to fit inside the tent and how much of your beach gear you want to store. Larger families will want more spacious tents, while solo beach-goers can opt for compact one-person tents.
Portability
Look at the weight and folded size of a beach tent to gauge its portability. If you plan to transport the tent far from your car, choose lightweight models that pack up small. Pop-up canopy tents are the easiest to carry.
Materials
Premium beach tents will be constructed from high-quality materials like canvas, polyester, or nylon. These durable, breathable fabrics hold up well to sun, wind, and moisture. Avoid cheaper tents made with inferior materials.
UV Protection
A beach tent with UV coating or specialized fabrics can provide full sunblock. This is ideal for very sunny locales or those with sensitive skin. Check the level of UV protection offered.
Ventilation
Proper airflow is essential for comfort on hot beach days. Look for tents with mesh windows or ventilation panels to promote cross breezes while keeping bugs out.
Anchors
Beach tents should have built-in anchors, stakes, or sandbags to keep them secured in windy conditions. The absence of anchors can lead to tents blowing away in gusts.
Doors
Choose a tent with a closure flap door to ensure privacy and keep out pests. Dual zipper doors are best for easy ingress/egress from either side.
The Top 5 Beach Tents
After extensive research, we’ve identified the top five beach tents that offer excellent quality, features, size options, and price points.
1. Pacific Breeze Easy Setup Beach Tent
Specs:
- Weight: 4.5 pounds
- Folded size: 45 x 4.5 x 4.5 inches
- Floor area: 49 x 49 x 84 inches
- Frame: Fiberglass
Features:
- Lightweight, compact, and easy to assemble
- Provides UPF 50+ sun protection
- Water-repellent polyester fabric
- Large side windows and zippered door
- Internal storage pockets
- Stakes and sand pockets for securing
Overview:
Pacific Breeze makes the best lightweight pop-up tent that’s affordable and easy to transport. Weighing just 4.5 pounds, it folds up compactly and assembles instantly. The spacious interior offers ample headroom plus handy storage pockets. It provides excellent UV protection while letting in cooling breezes. Stakes, tie-downs, and sandbags keep it securely in place.
Price: $69.99
2. East Hills Outdoors Instant Shader Extended Beach Tent
Specs:
- Weight: 9.94 pounds
- Folded size: 43.3 x 7.9 x 7.9 inches
- Floor area: 87 x 47 x 51 inches
- Frame: Steel & fiberglass
Features:
- One touch open & close system
- Provides 50+ UPF sun protection
- Extended floor area with removable mat
- Large mesh windows for airflow
- Sturdy steel & fiberglass frame
- Internal storage pockets & gear loops
Overview:
The roomy Easthills Shader tent provides nearly 10 feet of shade coverage, giving families ample room. The extended floor helps keep sand out of the interior. Large mesh windows allow cooling breezes while blocking sunlight. It’s made of durable 190T polyester that’s water resistant. We love the retractable foot mat and oversized storage pockets. The setup takes under a minute.
Price: $99.99
3. Coleman DayTripper Beach Shade
Specs:
- Weight: 9.6 pounds
- Folded size: 34.5 x 9 x 9 inches
- Floor area: 73 x 53 x 53 inches
- Frame: Steel
Features:
- Space-saving compact design
- UV Guard fabric offers UPF 50 sun protection
- The oversized floor keeps the interior clean
- Mesh windows for ventilation
- Multi-position roof angles for shade control
- Interior hooks and pockets for storage
Overview:
Coleman’s DayTripper tent provides outstanding portability with its space-saving size. Despite the compact footprint, it offers ample headroom and a large floor area. The UV Guard polyester material blocks harmful rays. Adjustable roof vents let you control airflow and shade. With its high quality and reasonable price, it’s excellent value.
Price: $76.48
4. Pacific Breeze X-Large Sport Beach Tent
Specs:
- Weight: 11 pounds
- Folded size: 38 x 7 x 7 inches
- Floor area: 95 x 50 x 54 inches
- Frame: Aluminum
Features:
- Lightweight aluminum frame
- Provides UPF 50+ sun protection
- X-large 95 square feet area
- Tall center height of 54 inches
- Extended rear storage area
- Large windows and front door
- Internal storage pockets
Overview:
Ideal for families or groups, Pacific Breeze’s extra-large tent delivers nearly 100 square feet of spacious coverage. The tall ceiling allows easy access, while the extended rear area offers surplus storage capacity. Large mesh windows enhance ventilation to keep the tent comfortable. Made from water-repellent polyester, this sturdy tent holds up well even in stormy weather.
Price: $149.99
5. Shade Shack Instant Pop-Up Beach Tent
Specs:
- Weight: 6 pounds
- Folded size: 36 x 6 x 6 inches
- Floor area: 49 x 49 x 39 inches
- Frame: Steel & fiberglass
Features:
- Lightweight at just 6 pounds
- Instant push-up setup in under 10 seconds
- Provides excellent UPF 50+ sun protection
- Tall enough for adults to stand comfortably
- Large mesh windows with roll-up covers
- Includes carrying case with shoulder strap
Overview:
With an effortless setup, UV ray protection, and a budget-friendly price, the Shade Shack tent is a top choice. The pop-up steel frame assembles in seconds while providing enough height for most adults. Mesh windows enable superb ventilation that keeps the interior cool. It comes with a handy carrying case for easy transport. Overall, it delivers impressive quality and features for a very reasonable price.
Price: $59.99
How to Choose the Right Beach Tent
All five of these highest-rated beach tents deliver quality and reliability. But which one is right for your particular needs? Here are some tips for selecting the ideal beach tent:
- Choose larger tents if needing space for families
- Prioritize portability for destinations far from parking
- Get full sun protection ability if concerned about UV rays
- Look for ample ventilation and airflow
- Models with UPF coating offer the best sunblocking
- Consider extra features like extended floors or storage pockets
- Pick instant pop-up tents for the fastest, simplest setup
- Make sure anchors like stakes or sandbags are included
- Select durable, water-resistant fabrics that won’t mildew
Take into account your priorities such as size, sun protection level, and ease of transport when deciding on the perfect beach tent. This ensures you choose the model that fits your needs and beach-going style.
Frequently Asked Questions About Beach Tents
1. How much assembly is required for beach tents?
Many beach tents are designed for instant pop-up setup that takes under a minute. Higher-end tents may have poles that must be manually assembled. Simple pop-up canopy tents are the quickest to set up.
2. What are beach tents made of?
Most beach tents are constructed from fabrics like polyester, canvas, or nylon that are lightweight and water-resistant. These materials also often provide UV protection. Avoid cheaper tents made with low-quality fabrics.
3. How are beach tents anchored into place?
Beach tents are typically anchored with built-in pockets that can be filled with sand or with stakes, ropes, or tie-downs. This prevents blowing away in windy conditions. Make sure your tent includes anchoring systems.
4. Do beach tents provide full sun protection?
Some beach tents have special UV-blocking coatings or panels that provide up to UPF 50 sun protection. Partial sun protection from the shade is standard, but full UV blocking ability will be specified in the product details.
5. What is the average size of beach tents?
On average, beach tents offer around 50 to 100 square feet of floor space, but sizes vary widely. Smaller 1-2 person tents may be only 49 inches wide, while bigger models can be over 90 inches wide and very spacious.
6. Should beach tents have windows?
Yes, the best beach tents will have mesh windows or closable flaps to allow airflow. This ventilation keeps the interior cooler while blocking sunlight and pests from entering. Just avoid cheaper models with no windows.
7. Can beach tents be used for camping?
While beach tents provide sun and wind protection, they lack features needed for true camping like bug prevention and rain protection. Specialized camping tents are better suited for multi-day outdoor trips.
8. How much do high-quality beach tents cost?
You can find perfectly functional beach tents for $60 to $100. Higher-end tents with larger sizes, stronger frames, and more weatherproof fabrics can cost up to $200.
My Final Remarks
A beach tent is one of the handiest accessories you can own for more enjoyable, comfortable beach trips. The shade, privacy, and protection they provide make beach time much more pleasant. Pacific Breeze, Easthills Outdoors, Coleman, and Shade Shack all offer excellent quality tents with lots of smart features. Consider sizing, UV protection level, portability, and easy setup when choosing your perfect model. With the right beach tent, you’ll be relaxing seaside in style this summer.
